The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka of the BJP, on Monday accused Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of according special privileges to actor Darshan in the jail.
A senior BJP leader told media here that "Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is responsible for the luxury treatment being given to Darshan inside the prison. Shivakumar had met the actor inside the prison and had assured him of all the help.".
Besides, he also directly questioned the Congress government over reports of providing special treatment to Darshan, an accused in a kidnap and murder case. "How did the mobile get inside the jail? Inmates are provided with cigarettes, coffee and narcotic substances without any fear," Ashoka said.
"The law and order system has collapsed already in the state. The cases of rape and murder are on the rise. The Ministers and MLAs are worried about the survival of the government. The Congress government should give a proper answer to the incident which has taken place inside the prison. It is of no use if they claim that an investigation will be conducted into the matter," he said.
He said, "Four days back a raid was conducted in the Central Prison, and the authorities had caught mobile phones and banned substances with the prison inmates. How come this mobile phone enters the prison four days later to click the photo of Darshan, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette?
Commenting on the development, Union Minister says the state is trying to be inconsiderate, saying it was a ploy to destroy evidence and threaten witnesses. "The Congress government has failed in handling the Darshan case properly. The plot is to destroy evidence and terrorize witnesses. There is no sincerity under the rule of the Congress," not in the Darshan case. "From whatever has happened, it seems that the Congress government is trying to protect him. It appears that the Congress government is hatching a conspiracy in the case of Darshan," said Joshi.
"Tomorrow, I am writing a letter to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the still pending Darshan case.
Now you've suspended the police officers. What were you doing all these days? There is involvement of few politicians in the case," Joshi stated.
Meanwhile, Home Minister G. Parameshwara reached the Bengaluru Central Jail for inspection.
After the flak over the preferential treatment of actor Darshan in prison through a video, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Monday directed officials to ensure both the accused actor and his alleged associates are to be transferred to different jails.
Currently lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison are 13 accused in the case, which include the actor charged with kidnapping and murder. Those 13 include his partner, the prime accused, Pavithra Gowda. The other four accused are in Tumakuru district prison.
Not only that, CM Siddaramaiah has also given directions to shift Darshan and his associates to different jails across the state. The CM has also directed the Karnataka DGP to visit the prison and submit a detailed report.
The Karnataka prisons department has meanwhile suspended seven staffers, including two jailers, for allowing Kannada actor Darshan to smoke a cigarette and drink coffee inside the prison.
The brutal murder of Renukaswamy happened on June 8 in Bengaluru. He was kidnapped from his native village of Chitradurga, brought to Bengaluru, confined in a shed, and later tortured to the point of death.
The torture caused his death, and after that, his body was disposed of into a canal. The incident came to light after security personnel from the ground of a private apartment saw the body being dragged by a pack of dogs.
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